Put it in writing

A written tenancy agreement is a great foundation for a stable tenancy — and it’s now a legal requirement. It sets out the rights and responsibilities of both landlord and tenant, reduces the risk of future misunderstandings, and keeps you on the right side of the law.

All new tenancies must have a written agreement —signed by both landlord and tenants — setting out important details, including:

full names and contact addresses

address of the rental property

date tenancy begins — and ends, if it’s for a fixed term

bond to be paid, if any

rent amount and frequency of payments

any chattels, eg furniture or appliances, provided by the landlord

information about insulation in the ceilings, floors, or walls.

Even if you don’t put your agreement in writing, the Residential Tenancies Act applies. This means you and your tenants must still do what’s required by law.

If you add any clauses or conditions, make sure these are in line with tenancy law. It’s fine to say “no pets” or to write down the maximum number of people who can live at the property. But you can’t insist the tenant has the carpets commercially cleaned when they move out.

The easiest way to get your agreement right is to use the template on the Tenancy Services website.